Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced during a recent earnings call that Meta is actively promoting the application of its Llama artificial intelligence model in the US government sector. The move sparked widespread speculation about which government departments would use Llama, its purpose and potential military applications. The editor of Downcodes will explain in detail the ins and outs of this incident and the role Meta played in this process.
In Meta's just-concluded third-quarter earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Meta is working hard to promote the application of its Llama artificial intelligence model in the US government.
This news raises many questions: Which government departments will use Meta's AI? What will the AI be used for? Will there be military applications? Does Meta get paid in these collaborations?
Zuckerberg said that Meta has reached cooperation with the U.S. State Department to explore how to use Llama to solve various problems, such as expanding access to safe drinking water and reliable electricity, and supporting the development of small businesses.
He also mentioned that Meta is communicating with the Ministry of Education to see how Llama can make the student financial aid application process more user-friendly. In addition, Meta is discussing potential applications for Llama with other departments. It should be noted that Zuckerberg mentioned that these cooperation did not involve any payment.
Against the backdrop of increasingly fierce competition in AI, Meta’s move is particularly noteworthy. At the same time, other AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic are also collaborating with the US government, and OpenAI's models have been used by agencies such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the US Agency for International Development, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. In addition, Google’s partnership with the Pentagon has also attracted much attention.
During the earnings call, Zuckerberg also revealed more information about the Llama model. He said the fourth version of the model is being trained on a larger cluster than any other company has reported and is expected to introduce "new models," "stronger inference capabilities" and "faster performance." Zuckerberg admitted that Meta plans to continue to increase its investment in AI in 2025. Although this may not be the news that investors want to hear, he believes that such investment is worth it.
Meta continues to grow despite external pressures. The company reported third-quarter revenue of $40.5 billion, up 19% year-over-year, and net profit of $17.3 billion. 3.29 billion people use at least one Meta app every day, a 5% increase from last year.
Meta’s application of the Llama model to the U.S. government marks the further expansion of artificial intelligence technology in the field of public services and also heralds more possibilities for cooperation between AI technology and the government in the future. However, the specific application scope and potential risks of the Llama model still require continued attention. The editor of Downcodes will continue to report relevant progress for you.